With Kobe the star in L.A., Lakers in for a big adjustment

MICHAEL R. BLOODAssociated Press

Published Saturday, July 17, 2004

LOS ANGELES - The Lakers decided they can live without Shaquille O'Neal, but can Los Angeles?

The stunning departure of the legendary 7-footer for Miami has left behind more than a pair of size 22 sneakers to fill. In a city that manufactures celebrity - indeed, thrives on it - O'Neal was his own brand. Like Michael Jordan before him, the popularity of the G-rated giant only started on the basketball court.

It wasn't just the thundering dunks, the three NBA championships or even the MVPs. O'Neal straddled Hollywood and the music business, appearing in movies like "Kazaam" and "He Got Game" and recording rap. His instantly recognizable smile sold everything from sports cream to cars and the stereos that go in them. He was a billboard favorite, and his 40-foot neon likeness shines down over one of the city's biggest attractions, Universal CityWalk.

"L.A. is going to be shocked for a while without him. You see him all the time, everywhere," said taxi driver George Stepanian, 50, who was waiting for a fare downtown Friday. "He was part of L.A."

The perennial MVP "couldn't play forever," lamented longtime fan Peggy Stovall, who counts eight O'Neal jerseys and a life-sized cardboard cutout of the star among her Shaq memorabilia. "I guess this was his time to go."

Lakers teams led by O'Neal packed the 19,000-seat Staples Center, and the city held its collective breath when he was slowed by injury. He was affectionately know by nicknames he often coined himself, the Big Aristotle, Shaq Daddy, and of late, "The MDE," or Most Dominant Ever.

His trademark line, "Can you dig it?" became an unofficial mantra. And in the O'Neal era, the Lakers' dominance provided a welcome respite from the long-suffering Dodgers.

At 7-foot-1 and 340 pounds, with a Superman tattoo on his arm, O'Neal looked the part as the most potent force in basketball. He began his NBA career in 1992 with Orlando, led the Magic to the finals in 1995, then signed with the Lakers as a free agent in 1996.

But it was a mix of imposing physical talent and a playful charisma that made him a favorite in Los Angeles, even if he did have his prickly moments, especially with the media. In a city that has seen its share of urban struggles, O'Neal emerged as a symbol of civic pride whose appeal crossed cultural barriers.

When an LAPD squad car was destroyed during a championship victory celebration, O'Neal wrote the city a check for a new one.